NY Yankees: Joe Girardi and a humble request to ignore human nature

Noah K. Murray/The Star-LedgerPhil Hughes, left, and Joba Chamberlain, right, prepare for their bullpen on Friday morning. They are both after the one slot left in the Yankees rotation.TAMPA, Fla. -- Yankees manager Joe Girardi has made it clear that the competition for the fifth starters' job will not truly begin for a few weeks. For now, he has said, the focus should be on building in preparation for when the battle truly begins.

The manager's wishes make perfect sense, though one very powerful force could get in the way. Human nature.

As Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes threw about 30 pitches each during a bullpen session on Friday, it was easy to wonder. Had both truly allowed their manager's message to sink in? Is it possible to for competitors to put a competition on hold?

"He was a competitor himself," said Chamberlain, acknowledging the temptation to push. "If somebody told him that, he'd probably let it go in one ear and out the other."

But, it seemed that in their case, the words stuck. Chamberlain and Hughes went about their work with little flair even though they were surrounded by plenty of temptation to turn on their competitive fire.

Fans looking down at the pitchers from overhead ramps that ringed the bullpen area, not much different from what bettors would do for a couple of club fighters. Girardi watched the pitchers from behind, though Chamberlain said later on he was too locked into notice.

If that is truly the case, then Girardi can rest assured that his message got through.

"You can't take a day off," Chamberlain said later. "You're not going to win a job today. But what you do today is going to prepare you for the rest of the year."

On this day, at least, the competitors found just the right balance.

***The Yankees would prefer to carry to left-handers out of the bullpen, but a second candidate would have to emerge in camp. "We'll see if one steps up," he said. "Somebody would have to show us."

Barring an injury, left-hander Damaso Marte would be the Yankees' lefty in the bullpen. It was a role filled by Phil Coke for most of last season, when Marte injured himself at the World Baseball Classic.
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Yankees outfielder Jamie Hoffmann arrived in camp on Friday. After he worked out at the team's minor league facility, he checked into the home clubhouse, carrying a Dodgers bag.